Making Waves
by gleekinout
Summary: She's a mermaid princess trying to fit in. He's an American surfer struggling to make it big. When they meet, sparks fly instantly. Nothing in the world would let them end up together. Too bad no one told them that. Puckleberry, Kitty/Rachel friendship. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Okay okay, I'm really excited about this story because I've had this idea for awhile. This first chapter is just setting up the story and next chpter you'll meet all the players in this story. First and foremost, this story is a romance. Hope you all enjoy! Reviews are like crack!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

 _ **Prologue**_

"You can do this, you can do this," Rachel Berry whispered to herself as she stared at her reflection in her mirror. She'd never had a panic attack before, but she was positive she was on the verge of having one right now. Rachel had been sitting in front of the vanity in her room, trying to convince herself to get up and get ready. After all, she was expected to be entering her own birthday party in half an hour.

Rachel wasn't a typical teenage girl, though from the waist-up she looked like one. She was a slender 17-almost-18-year-old with fair skin. She had deep brown hair that fell to the middle of her back in soft waves. Her skin was soft, free of blemishes and imperfections. Her eyes were round and chocolate-colored with long lashes. Her lips were soft and plump and she always had a smile on her face.

Below the waist, however, she was different.

Instead of two long legs, the lower half of her body was covered in a singular tail covered with green scales and complete with a fin on the end.

Rachel was a mermaid.

She was the only daughter of Byron and Marina Berry, the king and queen of the Pacific, making Rachel a princess. Her father was a descendant of Queen Aquata, which meant one day Rachel would inherit the throne and be Queen of the Pacific. It was something her mother had been training her for since she was just a baby. She taught Rachel how to be graceful, kind, fair, and just.

Today, however, Rachel didn't have princess lessons. It was her 18th birthday, meaning she was about to embark on a journey she'd been waiting for her whole life.

Many years ago, Aquata's youngest sister Ariel feel in love with a human. She left her family and traded her voice to a sea witch named Ursula for a pair of legs. She was given three days to receive true love's kiss or she'd belong to Ursula. Ursula put a spell over the prince which caused him to fall in love with her, however true love prevailed and he realized Ariel was the girl he loved. After defeating the sea witch, Ariel's father gifted her with legs and allowed her to be with her true love.

After her father's death, Aquata took the throne as she was the eldest and had no brothers. Remembering her sister, she started a new tradition for her daughters. On their 18th birthday, each was gifted with a magical shell necklace that would grant them legs and the ability to walk on land for two years, and two years only. Her hope was that the rebelliousness and curiosity of the world above would be cured by her daughters being allowed to walk on land.

It worked. Aquata's three daughters enjoyed their time on land, but were eager to return back home after their two years. Once they returned to the sea, they were glad to marry suitable mermen and live their lives under the sea. When Aquata's only son took the throne, he continued the tradition, deciding to isolate the magic into a necklace that would be gifted to his daughter on her 18th birthday.

And, to this day, the tradition continued. Rachel was moments away from receiving her necklace. That is, if she could keep it together.

She was trembling from head to tail and hadn't even bothered to change into the new top her mother had made specifically for this day. It lay on her bed, untouched.

There was a soft knock on her door before it opened and her mother swam in, stopping in her tracks when she spotted her daughter sitting down, clearly not ready for her party.

"Rachel, what's wrong?" Marina asked, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"I can't do it, Mom. I'm not ready to go up there on my own. How am I going to make it without you and Dad?" she asked, her voice trembling as she held back tears.

"Oh baby, it's going to be okay," Marina said, embracing her daughter. "I remember being nervous before my land walk. I could barely hold it together at my party, but once I put my necklace on and sat on a beach for the first time, it was the greatest moment of my life."

"But how am I supposed to survive?" she asked. "I won't know anyone up there."

"Don't worry, you'll find a way," her mother promised, kissing her forehead. "I did, and so will you. Now come on, you need to get ready or you'll be late for your own party!" Marina teased.

"Yeah, you're right," Rachel admitted, grabbing some lipstick off her vanity before starting to apply it. Marina stayed, helping her daughter finish her makeup and fixing her hair. She swam out of the room as Rachel prepared to get changed, promising she'd be waiting outside for her when she was done.

Rachel pulled her white seashell top off, exchanging it for the new and extravagant one her mother had gifted her. It was white, just like the one she had been wearing. However, instead of being plain white shells, they were covered in gems that had been recovered from sunken ships, causing her to sparkle and shine every time she moved. A sparkling chain was attached to the shells, wrapping once around her torso.

In addition to the new top, her mother had placed a sparkling white flower clip in her hair, pinning part of it back.

Rachel looked at herself in the mirror, smiling a little. She couldn't remember ever looking this beautiful in her life. She wondered if she would be considered beautiful in the human world as well. With a final glance at herself, Rachel took a deep breath and turned away from her mirror, swimming out of her room to where her mother was waiting for her.

"Ready?" Marina asked, extending her arm to her daughter.

"As much as I'll ever be," Rachel said, taking her mother's arm. The two of them headed down the halls, passing several rooms before coming to a stop outside a set of ornate double doors. They were wooden, hand-carved, and closed, though faint sounds of music were seeping through them.

"You wait here, Finn will be right out to escort you in." Marina kissed her daughter on the cheek. "And don't forget your crown," Marina added, handing a small silver tiara to Rachel before opening the doors and swimming inside.

Rachel was alone for jut over 30 seconds before a tall, fit merman swam over to her, coming to a stop once he was at her side. Finn Hudson was 19 and the eldest son of Strom and Ondine Hudson, the rulers of the Atlantic Ocean. He had two younger brothers, Wade and Kai, but no sisters.

Finn had light brown hair that was typically styled to look messy. His skin was slightly tanned and his muscles well defined. He had a squared jaw and a smile that lit up every room he was in. His tail was covered in blue scales and he was shirtless. A gold crown was seated on top of his head, a red gem embedded in the metal.

He was also head over heels in love with Rachel Berry.

"Princess Rachel," he greeted, bowing his head.

"Prince Finn," she said, a giggle escaping her lips. Finn was Rachel's oldest and dearest friend. They'd practically grown up together. All of her memories from childhood involved him. He reached out, taking her hand and placing a kiss on the back of it, causing Rachel's cheeks to turn pink.

When Rachel was 16, her mother had revealed to her that when she returned to the sea after her land walk, she and Finn would be married. It was a union their parents had arranged from the moment Rachel was born, a marriage that would unite the Atlantic and Pacific kingdoms. At first, Rachel had been devastated to learn she had no say in who she would marry. However, once she thought about it, she realized that, in the end, she probably would have ended up marrying Finn anyways. He was her best friend and she couldn't imagine spending her life with anyone else.

"Are you ready?" he asked, extending an arm out to her. Rachel smiled up and him and took it, nodding her head. They swam through the door with the music playing and hundreds of mermaids and mermen with their eyes on the prince and princess. They swam until they were beside Rachel's parents, and everyone resumed their conversations from before Rachel entered.

"Happy birthday, darling!" King Byron boomed, pulling his daughter into a tight hug. She laughed as her father released her, placing a kiss on his cheek. "And there's my future son-in-law!" he laughed, pulling Finn into a hug as well.

"Oh Rachel, you look beautiful!" a voice gushed. Rachel turned and saw a young mermaid smiling at her.

"Quinn!" she squealed, swimming over and hugging her.

Queen Quinn Fabray was a young mermaid who had taken over the rule of Oceania when her parents were killed by a shark. She was almost 22 with short blonde hair and a face full of freckles. She was married to a merman named Beck who both helped her rule and take care of their daughter.

"It's so good to see you!" Rachel exclaimed. She and Quinn had been close as kids. Quinn had been a few years older than Rachel and naturally helped her get into all kinds of trouble as a kid. She remembered one time they'd found Ariel's destroyed grotto when she'd been visiting Quinn's family. When Rachel's father found out where they had been, Rachel had been grounded for months.

"I know," Quinn sighed. "It's been months since I've seen you. I've just been so busy with ruling and being a mom," she said, shaking her head.

"Speaking of being a mom, where is your daughter?" Rachel asked.

"Beck decided to stay home with Hali. She's still a little young to be traveling across the ocean. She'll be here for your homecoming, though. I promise," Quinn said, taking a glass of seaweed wine from a passing waiter. "So, looking forward to your land walk?"

Rachel shrugged. "A little. I'm more nervous than anything."

"Oh, would you relax? It'll be fine. I remember mine like it was yesterday. I experienced things I'll never regret. I even learned how to swim like humans do," she laughed.

Rachel opened her mouth to ask her more, but at that moment her father cleared his voice and everyone fell silent.

"Thank you all for coming," King Byron said, his voice resonating all through the ballroom. "As you all know, my only daughter Rachel turns 18 today, and tonight will embark on her land walk journey as my wife did on her 18th birthday. As Rachel's parents, we've been preparing her gift for months." Byron swam over to Rachel with Marina at his side, a black box held in her hands. Byron pulled the lid off, displaying a purple shell on a silver chain. "Rachel, this necklace contains enough magic to turn you into a human for two years. From the moment you put it on, you will be transformed into a human and will not turn back into a mermaid until the magic wears off. We gift this to you in accordance of the wishes of Queen Aquata."

Rachel took the box, staring down at the necklace with a huge smile on her face. "It's mine?" she asked. "Really?"

Her father nodded his head. "Yes, it's yours. You're free to go whenever you wish to. Your mother and I wish you all the luck, and we love you very much," he said, embracing Rachel again. Marina followed suit, kissing her daughter's cheek.

"We'll be right here when you return," she promised Rachel before pulling out another bag. "This is from my land walk. There's some money and human clothes for you to use."

"Thanks Mom," Rachel said, giving her mother another hug. She turned and spotted Finn waiting for her. She swam over to him, closing the lid to the box so she wouldn't lose her necklace. "I'm going to miss you, Finn," she said, throwing her arms around him.

"I know, but I'll be here waiting for you," Finn promised, kissing Rachel's cheek. "I love you, Rachel."

Rachel smiled at him, her stomach flipping. She cared about Finn, but love? That was a big step. "I know you do, Finn." She placed a hand over his. "I'll see you in two years," she promised before giving her parents one last hug. She swam out of the ballroom and through the castle she'd lived in her whole life. She left through the castle doors, swimming quickly away.

It was a freedom like Rachel had never experienced in her life. From the moment she was born, she'd been surrounded by servants, maids, and nannys who catered to her every wish. She couldn't adventure off on her own without someone following her.

Rachel turned back for a moment to make sure she really was alone. The only creature near her was a lone fish quickly swimming by her. All the other mermaids and mermen in the area were back at the castle, enjoying her birthday party. She guessed she could have stuck around longer, but she had a long swim ahead of her and she wanted to cover as much water as she could.

Rachel would swim a few hours then take a rest break in a nearby cove, making sure to keep herself hidden from roaming sharks and other predators. After a quick nap, she would set out and swim again, her destination in her mind.

When Rachel first started to plan her land walk, she was positive she was going to stay close to home, planning on settling in southern California. That's where her mother had gone, so that's where she wanted to settle. It was her mother who talked her out of it. She was convinced Rachel would never truly get to experience life as a human if she was close to home.

So instead, Rachel was going to the other side of the world instead. Quinn had sent her a few suggestions on where to go and Rachel had finally settled on Bell's Beach in Victoria, Australia. She'd be all alone there and free to do as she wished.

After a full night of swimming, Rachel slowed as she began approaching the beach. She made sure to stay a bit off shore in case there were any humans in the area. The box containing the necklace her parents gifted her was strapped to a belt around her waist. She unhooked it and pulled the lid off the box, admiring the beautiful purple shell that rested on a satin pillow. She ran a finger over the shell, smiling as she did so.

Rachel had no idea what to do or expect now. Her father had said the shell's magic would work as soon as she put it on. She glanced up from where she was in the water. The surface was about five feet above her. She just hoped once her tail was gone she'd still be able to swim. With a tight grip on the bag her mother had given her, she pulled the necklace out of the box and pulled it over her head, the shell settling just above her breasts.

Nothing happened for a moment. Then, after about 30 seconds, the necklace began to shine and grow warm. It was pleasant at first until the warmth started spreading from the necklace and through Rachel's whole body, becoming slightly unpleasant.

She noticed her skin starting to shine as her necklace was. She looked down at her tail and saw it was glowing bright. She placed a hand on her green scales before pulling back instantly as they were white hot.

She started to feel a pulling sensation, as if some invisible force was trying to force her tail off of her body. She shut her eyes tightly, willing it all to end. After another few minutes, the warmth started to fade. Instead, it was replaced with a tightness in her chest She opened her eyes but shut them a second later as the water burned her eyes. She opened her mouth only to have it fill with salty water.

When she tried to propel herself up with her tail, she realized she no longer had a tail. Instead, she was left with two limbs she had no idea how to use. Rachel desperately gasped for air, taking in more water instead. She started grasping around for something, panicking. She was going to drown. She knew she was right, she could never make it as a human.

Her hand grasped onto something pointed and smooth, and suddenly she felt herself moving in the water. Her head breached the surface and she started coughing violently, taking in as much air as she could. She opened her eyes, seeing the darkness surrounding her. She had left home at night, yet it still appeared to be night here. How strange.

Rachel looked down at her companion and saw a dolphin was towing her to shore. "Thank you," she whispered, holding onto the dorsal fin tightly, her legs hanging uselessly below her. Eventually, she was close enough to shore where her new feet touched the ground. She let go of the dolphin and attempted to stand, but almost instantly lost her balance.

The dolphin, still beside her, swam behind her to catch her as she fell. Rachel smiled down at her new friend and attempted to stand again. This time, she seemed to get the hang of it and remained standing. Carefully, she waded through the water until she reached the shore, collapsing with exhaustion on the wet sand.

"Thank you!" Rachel called out again to the helpful dolphin. She heard a cheerful click before there was a loud splash and the dolphin disappeared from view.

Rachel sat up and looked down at herself for the first time. She still was wearing the jeweled top from her party, but that was it. She pulled open the bag her mother had given her and fished around, finding a skirt. She pulled it on over her exposed body and stood up, wobbling a little as she did.

She looked on the side of the bag and noticed a tag with a local address. Without any other options, Rachel set off into Bell's Beach, completely barefoot.

After wandering aimlessly for almost an hour, Rachel came to a stop outside of a small shack. Her feet were sore and she was exhausted. She checked the address again on the card before walking onto the porch, knocking on the door.

She heard someone grumbling inside as a light flicked on. The door swung open and there stood a young guy, probably about five years older than Rachel. He looked as though he had just woken up. He was tall and thin with sandy blonde hair, dressed in a tee shirt and a pair of boxers. He also had a stunned look on his face as he took in Rachel's appearance on his front porch.

His eyes went from the wet hair on her head before zoning in on the necklace she wore. "You couldn't have shown up here before one am, could you?" he muttered before holding the door open for her.

Rachel walked inside, glancing around with fascination. There were so many things covering the room, she didn't know where to look first. She turned around again and saw the man who seemed to live here pulling somethings off something large that was covered in pillows.

"I know who you are. Or rather what you are," he said, stifling a yawn. "I've never seen one of you in your true form, though," he added, looking Rachel up and down for a moment, as though he expected her to regrow her tail. "Right, I'm Ryder. It's too late and I'm too tired to get into who I am, but basically I'm descended from Ariel. My family has been helping you guys when you get on land for a long time, way before I was ever born. Tomorrow I'll get you all set up with a place to stay and everything, but for now you'll have to crash on my couch cool?"

Rachel stared at him, a blank expression on her face.

"Right, you have no idea what I'm talking about. Lie down there and sleep," he said, pointing to the large object he'd just cleared off. "You can use the blanket on the floor if you get cold, which I expect you will since your hair is still wet." He watched as Rachel collapsed onto the couch, letting out a big yawn. "We can talk more in the morning when we're both more awake." He flipped the switch on the wall and the lights in the small house extinguished, leaving the room dark. "Good night," he added as Rachel heard him head away from her. "And good luck."

Before she had time to contemplate what he meant by that, Rachel's eyes had grown heavy and she fell asleep, not knowing what would happen when she awoke.


	2. Chemistry

**_18 months later_**

The sun had been up for a few hours, but Rachel remained fast asleep in her bed. She wasn't due at work for another three hours, and she had planned to spend that time catching up on her beauty sleep. Of course, the world had other plans for her that day.

"You bitch!"

The shout echoed through the house, followed by a door slamming causing the floor to shake, waking Rachel up from her deep sleep. She sat up in bed, her eyes blinking a few times as she adjusted to the morning light. There was more shouting and another door slammed shut.

Rachel hopped out of bed and headed over to the window, peering outside. A tall, shirtless man was standing on her front lawn, shouting at an open window that had clothing raining out of it.

Rachel rolled her eyes, shutting the curtains to her window. Her roommate Kitty and her boyfriend David had broken up...again. It was almost a weekly occurrence. Kitty and David would get into a fight, she would throw him out along with all of his things, then they would be back together by the weekend. Frankly, Rachel was getting a bit tired of the routine. Secretly, she hoped this time it would be for good. David was a bit of a jerk in her opinion, and she was almost positive he was cheating on Kitty.

Now fully awake with no hope of getting back to sleep with all the shouting going on, Rachel supposed she might as well do something useful with her extra time. Rachel pulled her night shirt off, exchanging it for a pair of shorts and a sports bra. She slipped her sneakers on her feet and grabbed her phone and headphones, heading down the stairs and out the front door.

"I know about your whore, David!" Kitty screamed, throwing another pile of clothes out of the window.

"You're crazy!" David yelled back, trying to collect his things from the front lawn.

Rachel rolled her eyes, plugging her headphones into her ears as she started jogging down the road, desperate to put as much space between her and the fighting couple. She'd be shocked to see the house still standing when she returned.

Rachel had adjusted relatively easily to life on land. Ryder had set her up with a job as a waitress at a local restaurant and a small apartment close to her job. He introduced her to everything in the human world, including cell phones, television, and cars.

If Rachel was being honest, she found the human world to be very strange. Everyone seemed so obsessed with following what other people were doing by tracking it on their cell phones instead of going out and doing things themselves. Rachel couldn't imagine living a life like that. Under the sea, she was always doing something and enjoying her life. If she had stayed home in her castle, she would have gone out of her mind.

After a few months, Rachel adjusted well to being a literal fish out of water. She'd made some friends and she actually enjoyed working as a waitress. In the mermaid world, because she was a princess, Rachel was never allowed to work or do anything for herself. For the first time in her life, she had independence. And she loved it.

Rachel and Kitty had been living together for almost six months now. They'd met at the restaurant that Rachel worked at, both of them waitresses. At first, they practically hated one another. Kitty thought Rachel was a snob, and Rachel thought Kitty was, well...a bitch.

However, after a night where the two of them were the only two there, they realized they had more in common than they thought, and had been inseparable since.

Rachel felt her feet hitting the ground as she picked up the pace, following the curving path as she made her way towards the ocean. Even though she lived and worked close to the beach, Rachel still missed the water. So, when she went on her morning run, she always ran to the water.

Rachel turned onto the dock at the water, slowing as she peered around, seemingly looking for something.

There was a splash of water and a laugh. Rachel spun around, looking down at the face of Quinn, smiling up at her from the water. "I thought you slept in today," she said, clearly amused. "I was worried you weren't going to show before all the humans made their way out here."

Rachel slipped her shoes off and took a seat on the edge of the dock, her toes touching the cool water. "And miss our weekly gossip sessions? Never" Rachel said, pretending to be horrified.

Quinn stuck her tongue out at her, splashing a wave of water at her human friend. "I can't stay long today. Hali's third birthday is today, and Beck would kill me if I missed it because I was too busy chatting with you. So, catch me up quick. How's the human world been?"

Rachel shrugged her shoulders, covering her mouth as she let out a yawn. "It's been good. I've been working a lot lately. Oh, but I think Kitty's finally tossing out her useless boyfriend. She found out he's been sleeping around on her. Good riddance, he's such a cad."

"I don't care about your roommate's love life, I want to hear about yours!" Quinn laughed.

"What love life? Finn is waiting for me, he'd kill me if he found out I betrayed him while on land."

Quinn sighed. "Rachel, your only going to marry him because your parents are telling you to marry him. He's not your boyfriend. You need to experience life before you come home." Quinn reached up, yanking lightly on Rachel's foot. "Otherwise, you're going to live with all this regret when you're old like me."

"You are not old," Rachel laughed.

Quinn sighed. "You know what I mean. Just, promise me you'll try to get out a little more. You only have six months left before you come home, after all."

Rachel looked at her, slightly shocked. "Is it really that soon?"

Quinn nodded her head. "Yes, and then you'll be married to Finn. So, just live it up. For me, at least," she laughed, splashing Rachel again. "I need to go so I make it home before Hali wakes up. I love you, girlie. I'll see you soon." Quinn blew her friend a kiss before disappearing under the surface of the water.

Rachel rose to her feet and pulled her shoes back on, heading back to the house. She still had to shower and get ready before she and Kitty were due at work for their shifts. She turned back onto her street, spotting the house, the front lawn empty of the clothes Kitty had been tossing on it earlier.

She walked inside, noticing Kitty scrubbing the kitchen counters. A grin spread onto Rachel's face. Kitty always cleaned right after a break up.

Kitty turned to face her roommate, her face still red with anger. She exhaled a little when she saw it was Rachel standing there. "Oh, I thought you were David."

"So, you finally kicked his cheating ass out then?" she asked, grabbing a piece of toast off the counter and taking a bite out of it.

Kitty nodded her head, hopping up onto the counter and taking a seat, grabbing a bowl from the cabinet above her and pouring some cereal into it. "I know, it's been a long time coming, but he's gotten so lazy, he wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was stepping out on me. So, to help me get over him, you're coming with me to a party after work."

Rachel sighed a little. "Oh come on, you know that's not my scene. Wouldn't you be happier taking someone like Marley with you?"

Kitty shook her head. "No, because Marley isn't my best friend. I need you there as my wing woman. So, please come? It's just a beach thing celebrating the start of surf season. There's going to be tons of guys there. It'll really help me put David's cheating ways behind me."

Rachel sighed, smiling a little. "Okay okay, I'll come. Happy?"

Kitty shrieked, jumping off the counter and hugging Rachel. "More than happy. I can't believe you're really going to come to a party with me. Well you better hurry and get ready, Ryder's going to kill us if we're late for work again."

Rachel headed upstairs, wondering what she had gotten herself into. She vanished into the bathroom and took a quick shower, washing the sweat off her body. After quickly drying her hair and putting on a small bit of makeup, she ran to her room and threw on some clothes.

Ryder as a boss was pretty laid back. He didn't make his staff wear uniforms, which meant Rachel could show up to work wearing almost anything as long as it wasn't too trashy or too casual. Since she was now expected to be at a party after work, Rachel figured she needed to wear something halfway decent. Either that or bring a change of clothes, which she had no desire to do.

Rachel decided on a pair of acid-washed shorts and a V-necked ivory blouse. She paired it with a pair of ivory sandals. She left her hair down in waves which fell over her shoulders and half-way down her back. She figured she'd pull it up at work if things got too crazy, but she'd want it down for later.

Grabbing her bag, Rachel headed down the stairs and into the kitchen where Kitty was standing, waiting impatiently for her.

"Finally," she said, giving Rachel a look. "Ryder swore he was going to start docking my pay if I kept showing up late," she whined as the two girls headed outside towards Kitty's car.

Driving was the one human experience Rachel had no desire to experience. She was only going to be part of the human world for a short period of time, why attempt to learn something she was never going to use once she returned to the sea? Mermaids didn't drive cars, after all.

Rachel hopped into the passenger seat of Kitty's tiny car, buckling her seatbelt as Kitty turned the key and the engine roared to life. Kitty backed out of the driveway and the two girls headed down the road towards Ryder's restaurant, The Paradise Grille. Rachel certainly didn't love working there, but she didn't hate it either. For one thing, they were right on the water and she met a lot of interesting people there. It would be nice if the men weren't so brazen with her, but Australian men seemed to love American women. At least they assumed she was American. Rachel didn't consider herself anything since she lived in the sea, but it was easier for her to just say she was from California.

Kitty parked her car in the back of the restaurant and the two girls hopped out of the car, quickly making their way into the restaurant. It was still early, so the restaurant wasn't too crowded. Another waitress, Brittany, was already there, sitting at the bar as she waited for more customers to come in.

Ryder was in the back, going over order forms for the next week, while the two chefs, Sebastian and Rory, were chatting in the kitchen, not having any orders to prepare yet.

Rachel grabbed an apron from the wall and tied it around her waist, grabbing an order pad and pencil from the shelf and shoved it into one of her pockets. Kitty did the same, and then both girls took a seat at the bar with Brittany, looking around the empty restaurant.

"How long you been here?" Kitty asked Brittany, grabbing a bottle of water from behind the counter.

"Just got here like 10 minutes ago, right when we opened," she said, covering her mouth as she stifled a yawn. "No one's been here yet, so I've just been sitting around all by myself," she said.

Just then, the door opened and a group of young guys walked in, looking around. The three girls looked to each other before Rachel sighed, rising to her feet. "I guess I'll take the first table then."

Mike Chang, Sam Evans, and Noah Puckerman (known as Puck) had been up since five that morning so they could get an early start on the day. All three surfers, they were in town for a big surf tournament that started in two weeks, and they were busy preparing for it day in and day out.

Mike, a native Australian, had met Sam and Noah when he did a semester abroad during college in Florida. Sam and Puck, who were roommates, happened to be in the same music appreciation class as Mike, and they struck up a friendship with him when they realized they were all avid surfers. Soon, the three guys were cutting class to go catch some waves instead.

When Mike returned to Australia, Sam and Puck kept in contact with him, and soon they were meeting up all over the world for different surf tournaments. Neither of the three had seen much success as of yet and were stuck working boring jobs to pay the bills until they all made it as successful surfers.

Puck and Sam had been in Australia for almost a week now, and they'd been on the beach for most of that time. That morning, they'd been busy practicing on the water and had been planning on going all day before Sam reminded them they needed to eat something if they didn't plan on passing out from exhaustion. So, Mike and Puck had begrudgingly agreed to grab a bite somewhere close to the beach so they could head back out as soon as they were done. After all, they had to finish up early today since they were going to the surf welcome party tonight.

Puck glanced around, his eyes landing on the tiny yet adorable girl walking towards them.

"So, you guys looking for a table?" she asked, looking up at them. The first thing that caught Puck's attention beside her looks was her accent. She was as American as he was, something he never seemed to find when he was in Australia.

"Yeah, that'd be great, doll," Mike said, running a hand through his wet hair. Puck rolled his eyes at him as he followed the girl to their table. Mike, a huge flirt, never knew how to turn off the charm. It didn't surprise him he was already flirting with their waitress.

Puck took a seat and smiled at their waitress as she handed him a menu. Her cheeks seemed to turn a slight shade a pink, but maybe he was just imagining things. "Hi, I'm Rachel and I'll be your waitress today. Can I get you all something to drink?"

"Just three waters for us, thanks," Mike said, giving her a wink. Puck snorted as he watched Rachel roll her eyes at Mike before walking over to the bar to presumably grab their drinks for them.

"Ugh, you get all the luck," Kitty whined as Rachel filled three glasses with water, setting them on a tray on the counter.

"What do you mean?" she asked, pulling her hair back and tying a rubber band around it.

"You always get the tables with all the hot surfer guys," she said, eyeing Rachel's table with interest. "See, I would kill to be serving a group like that now that I'm officially single, and you don't seem to care at all. I mean, I can see that one guy is clearly flirting with you, and you're not engaging with him at all!"

"It's not my job to flirt with customers," Rachel said.

"Apparently, it's not your job to flirt with anyone," Kitty said, giving Rachel a look. "Like last month at that party, that one guy was hitting on you all night, and you acted like you were totally disinterested."

"That's because I was disinterested. He was definitely not my type."

"Well, then who is? I mean, you've been down here almost two years, and you haven't been on a single date. You're young and hot, you need to get out there Rachel," Kitty whined, grabbing Rachel's shoulders and shaking her lightly. "You need to get laid, girl."

"Kitty!" Rachel exclaimed, her face going bright red. "You can't talk like that here," she hissed, glancing over at her table, who seemed to be busy looking at the menu.

"I'm just being honest. I mean, you can't say you don't find that surfer hot," she said, gesturing towards the one who had been hitting on her since he walked in.

Rachel looked at him and made a face. If she was being honest, he wasn't her type. His friend to the left, however, definitely was. He was tall with tanned skin and dark hair styled into a mohawk. His eyes were dark like chocolate and seemed warm and inviting. He was someone she wouldn't mind getting to know better.

Rachel apparently stared at him a little longer than necessary, because Kitty noticed her looking. "Okay fine, but you like his friend," she teased. Rachel gave her a dirty look. "What, I'm just pointing out the obvious. You should totally invite him to the party tonight."

"I'm ignoring you," Rachel said, picking up her tray and bringing the water over to the table. Thankfully, a few more customers had walked in for lunch, which meant Kitty was going to be busy dealing with them to harass Rachel about her love life.

Rachel set the waters on the table, smiling slightly at the guy with the mohawk. He grinned at her, causing her to blush. "Uh, so did you guys get a chance to look over the menu?" she asked, trying to compose herself.

Okay, she definitely had blushed that time, Puck saw her cheeks turn a clear pink when he smiled at her. He could tell that Mike thought she was hot, but she was exactly Puck's type, and he wasn't going to just roll over because Mike was more bold.

"I'll have the burger with a side of fries, darling," Mike said, looking up at her. "And your number, as well."

Puck shook his head. "Jeez Mike, can't you go five seconds without hitting on a girl? I'm sorry about him, we try not to take him out in public too much," Puck said, smiling at Rachel. He was delighted when he saw her cover her mouth as she laughed.

"It's cool, it happens all the time. And I'm sorry, but my number isn't on the menu. Mike, right?" she asked, looking down at the guy. He nodded. "However, my friend Kitty's number might be," she said, pointing over to where Kitty was. Mike raised his eyebrows in interest as he looked over at the blond waitress taking to a group of teenage girls at another table.

"Hmm," he said, his interest piqued.

"What about you guys?" Rachel asked, turning to Sam and Puck.

"I'll take a chicken sandwich and fries," Sam said, yawning as he stretched his arms over his head.

"And I'll have a burger as well," Puck said, collecting the menus and handing them to Rachel.

"Thanks," she said, putting her pad and pencil into her pocket as she tucked the menus under her right arm. "I'll put those right in. Just holler if you need anything before your food's done." Puck watched as Rachel turned and walked away, his eyes following her every step.

"Could you be any more obvious, man?" Sam laughed, punching him in the arm.

"What are you talking about?" Puck asked, rubbing his arm as his face turned red.

"That waitress," Sam said, grinning at him. "You're way into her."

Puck rolled his eyes. "I don't even know her."

"But you think she's hot," Sam said, glancing over at her. She was at the kitchen window, chatting with one of the chefs as she handed them the order.

"No, I think she's beautiful. There's a difference," Puck said, taking a sip of his water. "But what does it matter what I think of her. I don't know her and I'm leaving the country in a few weeks. So why bother?"

"Because you haven't gone out with anyone in forever. You gotta get back in the dating game, dude. It's getting pathetic."

"Sam's right, mate. You need to at least get a little action. Invite her to the party tonight. Maybe she'll bring her hot friend, and we can both get a little something."

"You're a pig, I hope you know that," Puck said, shaking his head.

After a bit, Rachel returned with their food, setting it down on the table. She refilled their water glasses before walking away to attend to her other tables. Puck nibbled on his burger, keeping Rachel in his sights the whole time.

Eventually, after lunch was finished, Rachel dropped their check off and told them to have a good rest of their day. Mike threw some cash down on the table before rising to his feet, ready to get back on the water. Puck got up to follow him before pausing, looking back at Rachel who was grabbing drinks from the bar.

"Just do it, man," Sam said, nudging him.

Puck walked over to Rachel, pausing a few feet away. She turned, nearly bumping into him with a full tray of sodas. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, her face red.

"Hey, no harm done. Rachel, right?" he asked.

Rachel nodded her head. "Yeah, that's right. I didn't catch your name," she said, setting the tray back on the counter.

"Oh, sorry. I'm Noah, but everyone calls me Puck since I hate my name."

Rachel laughed softly. "It suits you. Did you need something?"

"Oh, yeah. I, uh, well I'm going to this surf party thing tonight, and I thought you seemed pretty cool and was wondering if you wanted to come? Your friend could some too, if you want."

Rachel arched an eyebrow at him. "Are you asking me out?"

"Uh, kind of? I know I don't know you and you don't know me, but..."

"Well, as it turns out, I'm already going. So, maybe I'll see you there." She winked at him. "Have a nice day, Puck. See you around." She picked her tray back up and sauntered away. Puck stared after her, grinning. He wasn't positive, but he was pretty sure he had a date with Rachel that night.

He couldn't have been happier.


	3. First Sight

"Please tell me you're joking. You have to be, because I don't know if I can actually have a civil conversation with someone who says they've never seen a single _Star Wars_ film!" Puck laughed, taking a short drink from the beer in his hand.

Rachel smiled sheepishly at him as she shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I just never got around to it. Besides, I'm not really into space, anyways."

"Oh, come on, Rachel! It's the single-most epic movie saga of all time. I mean, it's got Darth Vadar!"

"I don't even know who or what that is!" she laughed, reaching forward and leaning a hand on his chest.

After finishing up her shift at the restaurant, Rachel had kept her promise to go to the surfer party with Kitty. Normally, she would have come up with an excuse to back out and spend the night at home instead, but both her earlier talk with Quinn and her meeting with Puck caused her to decide to step out of her comfort zone and go.

Rachel knew Puck was a complete stranger to her, but something about him intrigued her. From the moment she saw him walk in, her interest was piqued. Yes, she was destined to marry Finn, but that didn't mean she was blind to other men.

Puck was, if Rachel was being perfectly honest with herself, hot. If she made a list of everything that attracted her to a guy, Puck checked every box. He was tall, tanned, and fit with a killer smile and great eyes. On top of all the superficial qualities, Puck was funny, sweet, and seemed to know just what to say to make her smile. Rachel had known Finn her whole life, and she had never smiled with him as much as she had taking to Puck for the past hour.

"Seriously? He's only the most badass villain in cinema history!" Puck enthused, placing a hand on Rachel's hip as she laughed at his excitement.

"I guess I'll have to take your word at it," she said with a smile, placing a hand against his chest.

"No, I refuse to accept that. You have to see the entire series to know what I'm talking about. It will change your life for the better, I swear," he said seriously, his hand still resting on her body.

Puck's schedule didn't allow for much of a social life. When he wasn't out surfing, he was busy working as a sales associate at a surf shop at the mall. He hadn't been on a date in more than 3 years, and he didn't have any friends besides Mike and Sam. It was hard to date or have a relationship when he was busy traveling from surf tournament to surf tournament all over the world.

Rachel was the first girl he had spoken to for more than thirty seconds recently, and he could honestly say he was enjoying their conversation. Rachel was funny, charming, and seemed to be genuinely interested in what he had to say.

Plus, she was super cute, which was a huge plus.

Puck couldn't explain why but he was having more fun talking to Rachel than he'd had doing anything in the past six months. Sure, he was insanely attracted to her and would love for her to come home with him, but she was also keeping his attention more than any girl ever had before.

Rachel felt a little guilty having so much fun talking to Puck. She was supposed to marry Finn in six months. But, she wasn't doing anything wrong. She and Puck were just _talking_.

But, if she was being honest with herself, she wouldn't mind doing more than talking with Puck. He was hot, and Finn couldn't be further from her mind right now.

Rachel and Puck had progressively been moving closer to one another. The band playing was loud, plus there were about fifty other conversations going on around them, making it difficult for them other one another.

Puck looked at her and jerked his head towards the door that lead outside to the beach, silently asking her if she wanted to go for a walk away from all the other surfers and wannabe girlfriends of surfers.

Rachel slipped her hand into his and pulled him towards the door, not hesitating at the opportunity to spend some time alone with Puck where Kitty wouldn't be watching and analyzing her every move.

Mike caught Puck's eyes as Rachel led him out the door and gave him a grin and a thumbs up. Puck rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to Rachel and following her outside.

The two of them strolled hand in hand down towards the beach. It was silent besides the gentle crashing of the waves in the ocean. Rachel realized she could have let go of Puck's hand now that they were outside and away from the party, but his hand was warm and comforting, and she was enjoying the way her small hand seemed to fit perfectly into his large one.

Puck tugged on her hand gently and pulled her closer to him, their shoulders bumping into each other.

"So, how'd an American like you end up down under?" Puck asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

"Oh, you know, I just wanted to travel the world, I guess." Puck looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. Rachel let out a sigh. "It was my parent's idea, kind of. When I turned 18, they told me I needed to go out on my own and explore the world. I grew up very sheltered and isolated. I think I came here because it's the furthest place from home I could think of."

"What do you think of it?" he asked, lacing his fingers with hers.

"I love it," she said, looking up at him. "I love everything about it. I love my friends, my job, and just my life in general. I'm not ready to go home."

"So don't," he suggested.

Rachel shook her head. "It's not an option. I'm expected to return home on my 20th birthday. I don't have a choice."

"Come on, Rachel. Everyone has a choice over their own life," he said, letting go of her hand and placing his arm around her shoulders.

"Well, what about you?" she asked, desperately trying to change the subject. "How'd you end up in Australia?"

"Surf competition. I've been here a few times and love it down here. I'm only here for a few weeks before I head back to California and my boring life. I look forward to the surf competitions every year. It's the one time I truly feel like I'm alive."

"Well, why don't you just surf all the time, then?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his abdomen as they walked.

"Sadly, I haven't been recognized enough where I can surf all the time and pay my bills. So I surf in my free time and work at some store the rest of my time so I can afford to come to these surf competitions. It sucks, but hopefully it's just temporary."

"What do your parents think of what you do?"

Puck shrugged. "They're okay with it for now, I guess. Dad really wanted me to be like him and go into the corporate business world, but that's just not me. I can't imagine spending my life sitting behind a desk pushing numbers into a computer. He said I have until I'm 25 to figure out my life, so that gives me two years to either win a major competition or give up surfing and find a job I hate."

"Maybe you'll win this one," Rachel said optomistically.

"Yeah, maybe," Puck muttered, looking out at the calm water. He didn't know why he felt so comfortable opening up and talking about his life with Rachel, but he did. He felt as though he could tell her anything. He looked down at her and saw her watching the ocean, a longing expression on her face. "You know, I like you, Rachel."

Rachel looked up at him and smiled. "I like you, too. I feel like I can be myself around you."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"When I'm with other people, I have to put on this act. I have to be the me they want me to be, not the me that I really am. It's nice to just be...me."

Puck laughed a little and pulled her close, rubbing her arm. He paused before leaning his face down and pressing his lips to hers. The kiss only lasted about a second before Puck pulled back quickly.

"Hey," Rachel said.

"What?"

"Why'd you stop?"

Puck laughed as she pouted up at him. Rachel turned so she was facing him and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his. It had been awhile since Rachel had done any kissing, and she wouldn't call what she had been doing before real kissing. She and Finn had exchanged a peck here and there, but it was mostly frowned upon for them to be intimate before they got married. There were no rules and no one watching her and Puck, so she was free to do as she wished.

Puck wrapped his arms around Rachel's body as she deepened the kiss, easily lifting her off the ground.

Rachel laughed against Puck's lips before kissing him again, her eyes closing as she melted against his body. She placed her left hand on his cheek as he slid his tongue into her mouth. Rachel wrapped her legs around his waist, her chest pressed against his.

"There you are, bitch!" Kitty called across the beach, causing Rachel and Puck to break apart instantly, Rachel dropping out of his arms and back onto the sand quickly. "I've been looking for you for like, twenty minutes." She looked annoyed and semi-drunk. "David just showed up with his new whore. I want to leave." She seemed completely oblivious to what she had just interrupted.

Rachel sighed before nodding at her roommate. "Yeah, okay. Give me a minute? I'll meet you back at the car" she promised. Kitty turned and started trekking through the sand towards the parking lot where he car was. Rachel turned toward Puck, giving him a little smile. "Guess that _Star Wars_ date is going to have to wait," she joked, reaching up and stroking his cheek with her hand.

"So, you really have to go? You can't stay a little longer? Or come back home with me instead?" he said, half-teasing.

"And let her drive home in that state? Not happening."

Puck had a bad feeling that once she left, he'd never see Rachel again. He was in no hurry to let her get away from him yet. "I'm just not ready to say goodnight to you yet," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Then don't," she said. "Come back with me and you can tell me more about why this Darth whoever is such a villain," she teased, giving him another kiss.

Puck grinned as he kissed her back. "Oh, definitely," he said. "I'll meet you at your car. Just let me tell Mike and Sam so they don't call the cops on me when I don't turn up at the hotel later," he said, jogging back towards the party.

Rachel slowly made her way through the sand towards the parking lot. She caught sight of Kitty's car with her passed out in the front seat. At least she wouldn't have to explain to her why Puck was coming back to the house with them at one in the morning. She'd figure out a way to explain his presence tomorrow after she had some sleep.

A few moments later, Puck climbed into the backseat of the car and buckled his seatbelt, leaning forward and placing his hands on Rachel's shoulders. Rachel pulled the car out of the parking lot and made the short drive back to the house she shared with Kitty.

Puck helped Rachel get Kitty inside and into her bed before he followed her down the hall to her room. Rachel shut her door and turned the lights off while Puck pulled his shirt off and climbed into Rachel's bed.

She quickly pulled an oversized teeshirt on and stripped off the outfit she had worn to the part before she pulled the covers down and climbed into bed next to Puck, pulling her comforter over their bodies.

Puck wrapped his arms around her body and pressed a kiss to her forehead, snuggling close to her. He reached a hand up and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I don't know what I did right in my life to deserve this, but I'm not complaining." Rachel giggled, kissing his nose once. "You are so beautiful." He brushed his lips against hers. "I hope I don't wake up in the morning and realize this was all a dream."

"It's not," Rachel whispered, moving her arms and wrapping them loosely around his neck. "I promise it's not. I'm here and I'm not going to disappear on you in the morning." She kissed him again. "As long as you don't disappear on me."

"Trust me, I'm going to be here as long as you want me around," he said, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"Well, I'm going to want you around for a long time," she promised, brushing her nose against his. Puck placed a hand behind her neck and pulled her face close, placing his lips against hers once again. Rachel's back was pressed into the mattress as Puck kissed her deeper. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his body close to hers, continuing to kiss him.

Puck peppered her lips with a few more kisses before he gave her another kiss on her forehead, settling back in bed beside her. Rachel yawned as she snuggled close to Puck, her eyes slowly drooping shut as she drifted off to sleep. Maybe, just maybe, she was finally figuring out this human stuff.


End file.
